Asthma

Majority may have heard the word “asthmatic” however some may confuse it to mean a terminology in the fashion industry. When an individual is described as being asthmatic people who are not so sure of what the condition is may confuse it to mean other things, although the condition has gained popularity in recent times which may be due to the way its symptoms present and increased awareness. For many, the only information they have about asthma is that it causes difficulty in breathing and in this case they are correct.

Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the respiratory system, which includes the lungs. It causes the airways to be narrower and inflammed eventually leading to difficulty in breathing. It may produce mild or severe symptoms in individuals involved. It has a huge burden on the health of the population as it is a major cause of presentation to the emergency room and can interfere with work and quality of life of the people affected. Asthma can affect people of different ages(young and older persons), sex, educational status, religious or sociocultural backgrounds, however, the degree of manifestation differs amongst population affected. The exact cause of asthma is unknown however some risk factors for developing it have been identified to include family history of asthma ( the chance of developing asthma is higher when one’s parents also have asthma), cigarette smoking( smoke from cigarettes causes irritation of the airways and increases the likelihood of either the primary or secondary smoker to develop asthma), prolonged exposure to substances like dust, chemical fumes, molds for example, at the work place, viral respiratory tract infections, allergies e.g hayfever, allergic rhinitis.

Asthma may be classified in various ways based on its severity, such as mild, moderate, severe as well as intermittent or persistent. Also, there are different types of asthma with different ways of manifestation, which includes adult-onset asthma, childhood asthma, status asthmatics, exercise- induced asthma among others. It may also be allergic or non-allergic asthma. The underlying factors in the development of symptoms experienced by people with asthma is irritation of the airways as a result of their very sensitive airways which may overreact when they are exposed to triggers such as dust, chemical fumes, pollen grains, cold air, smoke amongst other factors. Inflammation may result from irritation of the airways or even respiratory infections or other factors. A characteristic of inflammation is swelling which occludes the narrow lumen of the respiratory tract and limits the movement of air. Furthermore, there is increased secretion of mucus into the airways which also affects the airflow to and from the lungs.

The common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing, wheezing ( whistling sound heard while breathing), mild to severe cough mostly at night, during exercise, chest tightness or pain. It is important to note that all symptoms of asthma are important and should be reported to your primary care provider. The symptoms no matter how mild may worsen and pose threat to the life of the person involved. The presentation and severity of symptoms of asthma experienced differ from person to person and can be influenced by age, time of the year, physiological condition among others.

There are many other conditions that may cause symptoms similar to those experienced in asthma such as common cold, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, pulmonary embolism, respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, bronchitis among others. Due to the fact that there are many other diseases that could produce similar symptoms, it is important to report symptoms to health care professionals for early diagnosis and relevant treatment. Misdiagnosis and self-medication may result in fatal outcomes.

The diagnosis of asthma includes taking medical history and thorough physical examination as well as investigations like spirometry, peak flow, nitric oxide test, chest x-ray, methacholine challenge test to mention a few. Treatment of asthma will be done by health care professionals and specialists licensed to do so. As a result of the fact that asthma is a chronic condition( i.e long term), the treatment plan may involve long term measures which may include lifestyle changes, use of inhalers and other drugs as prescribed or advised by your physician.

Aside from impacting on the health of the people affected, asthma may negatively affect the quality of life of those involved as it could interfere with school and work by causing frequent absenteeism which may ultimately result in poor performance and decreased income. It is therefore important that professional advice is adhered to so as to prevent or reduce the frequency of acute episodes. Allergens should be avoided and medications used as prescribed.

It is also essential to inform relevant authorities of health status for modifications or exemptions where necessary. However, a medical report from a specialist may be required as support.

Asthma is not an infection and is not transmitted from person to person. If you know anyone who show or have complained of similar symptoms as mentioned above(symptoms of asthma), kindly inform them to visit their primary healthcare provider for further assessment.

Health quote of the week “A wise man ought to realise that health is his most valuable possession.”

–Hippocrates